It was a kick seeing the Bloc Quebecois disintegrate in the federal election, a real treat enjoying Gilles Duceppe’s struggle to come to grips with the devastation around him. Old bug-eyes seems to have fallen off the face of the earth since then: not a peep about how horrific Canada makes life for loyal members of Quebec Nation; maybe he’s been busy filling out forms for the fat pension we’re going to pay him the rest of his life.

It’s equally enjoyable watching the fallout spread. Pauline Marois, judged to be an outstanding leader by 93% of the party faithful at a Parti Quebecois convention just two months ago, is now being pressed to resign over her failings, which must have popped up after the previous vote was taken. There’s a letter-writing campaign against her, and two previous PQ leaders are complaining that her devotion to the struggle is insufficiently all-consuming.

The pressure got so great that Ms. Marois took a day off this week to dig in her garden, and returned Wednesday to suggest everyone cool down. Fat chance of that: If we know anything about separatism after 35 years of PQ complaining, it’s that they don’t shut up and go away just because you ask them to.

It would probably be unfair to suggest the party itself has turned against Ms. Marois. It’s more like a disgruntled bunch of rivals have decided it’s more fun pursuing their personal grievances than it is working for the greater good of the party. Jacques Parizeau seems never to have absorbed the fact he lost the 1995 referendum, that he no longer leads the party, and that he’s not helping anyone by letting his bitterness flower. His wife, Lisette Lapointe, is one of four members who quit the party caucus last week over claims Marois was too authoritarian. (Seriously, that’s what they said. As if Parizeau didn’t like to strut around like a latter-day

.) The Parizeaus’ grandson Hadrian (Hadrian? Who names their son Hadrian? Does that make his parents Mr. and Mrs. Trajan?) heads his grandmother’s riding association, which is causing Marois so much trouble there are suggestions she might seize control.

Another former leader, Bernard Landry, has criticized Marois for allowing 12 party members to send a letter criticizing the Parizeau gang for undermining the leadership. It suggests she “reflect on” her actions.

What’s behind Marois’s problems is the belief among hardliners that she isn’t willing to dedicate the party single-mindedly to another referendum, should she become premier. It apparently doesn’t matter that Duceppe’s dismantling began immediately after he suggested strong voter support for the Bloc and PQ could bring another referendum closer. Quebec voters made it clear they have better things to do than chase the separatist fantasy for another 30 years; nor do they share the level of disgruntlement that drove their elders in their obsession. Marois, it seems, isn’t willing to sacrifice the party itself, as Duceppe did (albeit unwittingly). The Parizeau gang is.

What fun to watch. I’m with the Parizeaus. I’d love to see them go down in flames in another attempt to batter the country into submission. Then they could join Duceppe in whatever retirement home we’re sending him his pension cheques.